Conservation, a universal issue

OK, my girlfriend is a vet in training. And through her and her fantastically active mates I learned a liitle more about Conservation. Science is what tyou see, and I learned about how when you get a bunch of vets together A Socio-political student just screams "Foucault! Structuralist structuralist! Why can't you see mwah ha ha!". Luckily I limited my ravings to inner-monologue and continued to observe this pecial bread of caring intelligent individuals who had also had seen euthanasia in action and stuck their arm half way up the bad end of a sceptic donkey.
First vet's have a single job, animal welfare. You see an animal you make sure the dumb little begger is happy.
Every talk was very geared towards animals. One Biologist, Luke Dollar doing amazing (and, just to intercede, moderatley too well publicised for me to really get my head around) working to save an animal that has featured in a blockbuster movie and which I still know begger all about- the Fussa! We all know Madagascar is in a hole- the poorest people in the world, with the most devastated woodland and rainforest, almost everything from people down to hissing cockroaches is in the deeply dippy. He knew the score. He has to be a politician, educator, social worker, and collect data and consider welfare. And train kids. And walk the length and breadth of the second biggest island in the world.
Why is Foucault important? Glad you asked at this point cos Luke exemplified it. Foucault's "Les Mots et les choses" -or- Words and Things -OR- The Order of Things". Words, what is said, why it is said and espescially what is not said are crucial in seeing how people think they are placed in the world. Different places groups and epochs make truth mean something different. Well vets talk a certain way and thus live in a certain world thinking about limited things. Vets are at the business ends. Very dirty business. Next to that you see in hmm let's say Madagascar, a huge sum going into food aid and helping people. And yet all that I could see in this cloud of fascinating pathology and ecosystems was the fact that actual co-ordination was totally lacking.
Conversations on Panda diplomacy/ varient without zoos where the donation of a species is done to promote the political bonuses raher than aiding animals. Protecting ecosystems was, i expect, a given. Specifically the speaker was peaved that Kenyan diplomats rewrote the constitution to state that White Rhinos were an endemic species (they're not) so they could get some ties with Swaziland (who are 1000 km away and thus lot's of White Rhinos). Obviously they all died of parasites never encountered by a White Rhino. If the vet had been listened to those rhinoceri would still be frolicking in Swaziland. But what of the people who got the training, trade and links made, and the understanding of ecology involved. Frankly the Swazi royal family sacrificed a half dozen animals to nature for this diplomacy. Bastards. (We do treat wild mammals like vermin, in the way and thouroughly exploitable. That's less of another story than a whole freaking encyclopedia)
What's needed is full co-ordination. Alphabetti spaghetti NGO's get under each others feat but I wnat to know what they actually do. Who stops bush-meat hunters looking for that food. Who talks with cattle ranchers about making sure their trail is still their next time. Who creates straight, sustainable jobs to give people a life and set up for all residents of the island no matter where it is in the food chain. Academic sociology looks today global markets, urban issues, migration and social risks. These all pale next to unglobalised organisation of the majority of the worlds population. However global thinking can provide solutions and opportunities for under-developed states beyond mere charity. Just for starters trade, defense and economic union could provide people with some hope in Africa. Of course people are politically active in South America but poverty and disorganisation is replaced with poverty and efficient corruption. Politics needs to be at the heart of the analysis of the specific situations- small and localised observations and consultation can set up human interactions with their environment which sustain everything. What is Madagascar without it's people, it's wildlife and it's habitats and landscape? I'll tell you know that that country is not far away and it would not deserve to be called Madagascar.
Sum, there's a place for social study in planning sustainable places and conserving habitats. Animals need welfare, in the same place and time that humans need welfare. That neads leadership, science, observation, objectivity and balls of steal. Vet's perspective needs to be equally appreciated in all situations. Every expertise has to be drawn from if actual solutions are to make a change. Persoanlly, apart from becoming vegetarian, recycling and stopping flying on aeroplanes, I'm donating what people need, resources! My smarts, my ideas, my time. Just need to pick up some skills and find someone who'll take me on.
I'm still young. Interms of how much needs doing we're all young!